Tahoe reps head to Washington in hopes of saving lake

WASHINGTON - All six of Lake Tahoe's congressional representatives plan to testify Thursday on a bill providing $300 million to help preserve the scenic mountain lake on the California-Nevada border.

The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, authorizing $30 million a year over 10 years, is a key element of a $900 million effort to stop further loss of the lake's famed clarity.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will be urged by the measure's authors, Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Harry Reid, D-Nev., to endorse the plan.

Also backing the bill will be Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Richard Bryan, D-Nev., and Reps. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., and John Doolittle, R-Calif.

''It's the first real public discussion of this issue in Washington,'' says Rochelle Nason, executive director of the League to Save Lake Tahoe and co-chairwoman of the Lake Tahoe Transportation and Water Quality Coalition.

''We think that it's important. It begins the process of building support in Congress for what we're doing here,'' added Nason, who also will testify in support of the measure.

Other coalition members who plan to testify include Steve Teshara, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Gaming Alliance.

''It's the first hearing on the Senate side, and this is certainly very important in getting the process of legislative review off on the right note,'' said Teshara.